Vietnam is a country of real contrasts. You’ll find bustling, modern cities such as the high rise capital of Ho Chi Minh City, which is full of skyscrapers and busy streets where mopeds zip up and down the winding roads. However, outside the urban areas, there are untouched, lush green mountains and beaches with white sands and turquoise seas, all of which look amazing on film.
Filming in Vietnam
Vietnam has lots of great filming locations, and you’ll no doubt get a friendly welcome from the locals. However, sorting out permission to film can be difficult. You’ll need to provide a lot of information such as a list of cast and crew, as well as your schedule, and it can take about two weeks to get your permit.
Most people will need visas, which can be applied for along with the permit. NEEDaFIXER VIETNAM makes the entire process easier and can chase up permits and visas so that you comply with local laws.
Because NEEDaFIXER has a great deal of local knowledge and contacts, we can make it easy to film in Vietnam. If you need local crew, whether it’s directors and producers, camera operators and technicians or runners and makeup artists, then we can ensure they are ready to start on the first day of your shoot.
One big challenge of shooting in Vietnam can be finding the right cast, and the country doesn’t have much diversity. NEEDaFIXER VIETNAM can find cast members that suit your requirements and send headshots and showreels so that you can make decisions before you arrive.
You may also need to work around the weather. Vietnam is hot and can be extremely humid, especially in the monsoon season, which runs from October to April in the north and around September to May in the south. Occasions such as Tết can also make filming difficult, but we can help you choose alternative dates.
Many movies about the Vietnam War have been filmed in the country, including The Quiet American. Some large Hollywood productions have taken advantage of the natural beauty of the country to shoot scenes, with the movie Pan, based on the Peter Pan books, using several locations across Vietnam.
The small town of Phong Nha was recently home to a large film crew who were shooting Kong: Skull Island, a reboot of the King Kong franchise. The country also has a thriving domestic film industry, which has created recent hits such as the action-fantasy film Once Upon a Time in Vietnam and the horror film Hollow.
Fixers in Vietnam
There’s a large choice of filming locations in Vietnam, whether you want an urban landscape or are looking for a specific natural feature. The vast caves of Hang Sơn Đoòng have underground rivers and a reflecting pool and were perfect for creating Neverland in the movie Pan.
The calm waters of Halong Bay in the north have also made it the perfect backdrop for filming, and it has been seen in movies such as Indochine and Lost in Laos.
Ho Chi Minh City
The capital combines traditional architecture and modern skyscrapers and has busy, bustling streets that look great on film. Sci-fi movie Sculpt had scenes in the city, as did the independent movie Stand.
There’s a fantastic city vibe here, and it’s full of interesting food stalls. Many people still refer to Ho Chi Minh City as Saigon, and the local people are only too happy to share their unique stories.
Filming in the city is an incredible experience, and our fixers from the United Kingdom can work with Vietnamese crew members to ensure your project runs smoothly.
Our international fixers are experienced in filming around the world and understand that successful films take a lot of time and commitment. Working with our crews guarantees an enjoyable production process.
What can our fixers in Vietnam do for you?
If you are planning to film in Vietnam, then the process of getting permits and visas can be a little slower than in some neighbouring countries.
That’s why many people planning a movie, commercial, TV or music video shoot use the services of NEEDaFIXER VIETNAM to ensure everything is in place for the first day of filming.
We can help source the right location and advise on practical matters such as the best days to film. Some filming locations in Vietnam can be very remote, but NEEDaFIXER can help by arranging for transport and accommodation, ensuring everything is in place for a successful shoot.
Our friendly team will arrange film permits and can connect you with the ministry of foreign affairs. If you need a film officer director or producer, we have a diverse selection of talented individuals at our disposal.
Sourcing Local Services
It’s not always practical to bring your equipment with you and transportation costs can mount up. The ministry of culture is a useful point of information and our fixers can help you source local contributors and equipment.
All you need to do is give us a list of equipment and our production company will make the process easy. We understand that you would like to stay in line with your shooting schedule and working with us means you have access to specialist producers, directors and drone operators.
If you’d like to find out more about how we can help, drop us a line today at [email protected].
Popular Filming Locations
Ho Chi Minh City
This bustling city has a great atmosphere and has lots of interesting places to film. The newer areas have modern, sleek skyscrapers, while the older parts of town are full of neon-lit shops and roads packed with bikes and mopeds.
Phong Nha
This traditional small town is close to a huge national park with caves and lush green mountains. It has been used in movies such as Pan and would be great for any movie where you need strong, natural features.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay has calm, bright blue waters and is surrounded by huge rocks covered in greenery. It’s a striking spot that is ideal for water scenes.
Hanoi
Hanoi is the bustling capital of Vietnam and it has a rich culture. If you’re looking for an area with stunning architecture, there couldn’t be a better location. The city also has a strong link to movies and holds an international film festival, so it’s a great location to get inspired.
We’ll Get You a Film Permit & Help You Source Talent
Our production department can help you to arrange film permits, and will also make sure you have everything you need to create a wonderful production. We have talent in the United Kingdom and all over the world, so we’re confident that your experience with us will be a pleasant one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How easy is it to get permits?
In order to receive a permit, you must provide a full list of crew, actors, schedule and locations. Getting a Vietnam film permit is a relatively simple process, and once your application is submitted it takes around two weeks for the permit to be issued.
Do I need a visa or work permit?
You must have a visa upon entry into Vietnam and visas are usually sorted when applying for a film permit. Please be advised when you’re leaving Vietnam, that all tapes will be checked FYI.
Can I hire equipment once there?
The standard filming equipment is available in Vietnam, but if you’re after more specialised apparatus, it’s better to import from abroad. It’s worth noting Vietnam isn’t an ATA carnet country.
What is the climate like?
It’s extremely hot all year round, but beware of monsoon season in the north during the months of October to April and May – September in central Vietnam, when it gets extremely wet! Otherwise, you can normally rely on Vietnam being dry for the rest of the year. Filming in January or February is pretty much off-limits due to TET.
Testimonials
’You guys were amazing! You delivered perfectly at short notice in a foreign country, introduced us to lovely crew in both and really went the extra mile in making sure it was all taken care of and confirmed properly. I can’t thank you enough and look forward to working together again.’
Davo McConville
Free Lance Producer - Black Dog / RSA’I have met NEEDaFIXER in Greece! It was LOVE from the first sight. Since then, I cannot imagine my production without them! They are like Family! Always helpful. Always happy. Always with loads of energy… & always with PASSION for what they do!’
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